The Demon Mistress
by Shiku Noberu
Summary: This one group was doing what they thought was "fighting the bad guys". The other group was doing what they thought was "saving the world". But in the end, which side is right and wrong? Maybe judgement is by the hands of God? Or the Devil?
1. Eternal Damnation

**Title: **The Demon Mistress

**Author:** Shiku Noberu

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto. Maybe I could ask for my birthday...? * v * )

**Genre****: **Romance/Horror

**Summary:** This one group was doing what they thought was "fighting the bad guys". The other group was doing what they thought was "saving the world". But in the end, which side is right and wrong? Maybe judgement is by the hands of God? Or the Devil?

Sometimes I hate my grade 7 literature capabilities. TIS THE TRUTH. ;; A ;; I'm sorry for the prologue, but I don't mean any religious offense or anything. I'm just making it dramatic.

Oh, and can I say this: _melodramatic dark fic coming up your way–_

This prologue was written by my friend Hinata. Find her on dA

www hinanana deviantart com

Enjoy.

* * *

_What is justice? The quality of being fair and equal. But if good and evil still exists, does that mean justice does not prevail?_

_If we think we are "saving the world", from what do we actually save it from? The profligates of this world? But then, again, aren't the "good" also immoral and corrupt? It is hypocrisy. If we are the "heroes" who do a good deed for the world by destroying the condemned, does that not make us atrocious as well? Doesn't justice mean that not the bad guy that goes to jail, but having someone pay for the crime done?_

_And to a "villain", if they are committing crime for an acceptable reasons, aren't they still doing it the wrong way? Why is it that there needs to be blood spilled in order to achieve what they call "peace"? Aren't they lacking a reasonable way to straighten out the wrongdoings of this world? Shouldn't the progression to what villains call eternal salvation from their viewpoint be essential? Why is the hunger for liberation massive? Isn't there another course of action that proves good?_

_At times, desperation drives mankind the wrong way. If God has turned His back on you, will you be pressured to finally turn to the Devil? If so, what is justice then? When is justice made? Where? What makes justice? Is it the conviction of the evil? Or is it the hypocritical deeds of the good? Who determines justice?_

God? Or the Devil?

**.**

**.**

PROLOGUE

**Eternal † Damnation**

**.**

**.**

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

_[ The moon is white. ]_

Maniacal cackling rang through the dead of the night. Insanity laughs as the core of a being's rectitude breaks down, leaving the young mind vulnerable. The moon's rays shone down on Mother Nature, who is silently weeping for Her beloved inanimate warriors, yet angered at the same time. The occasional howling of the wind overlapped the clap of thunder. In the dead center of a battlefield long finished, stands a warrior – no – _fallen angel_, for she has done an act so _malicious_, it is a wonder she isn't tainted. Yet.

_[ The sky is black. ]_

The shadows frolicked about under the moonlight, as if they were alive and had a mind of their own. They lurked on the very grounds of Earth, because Earth is the bridge of sanity to Heaven and Hell. Shapes of deformed angels, with their wings bent at humanly impossible angels, and a hole violently placed where their hearts should have been. Their lifeless eyes stared at what they could not see anymore. Mouths formed into an eternal, soundless scream, calling out for mercy, but their cries fell on deaf ears. The fallen angel stood amidst it all, her body racking with violent, frenzied laughter. She has fallen prey to bloodlust.

_[ Blood is red. ]_

The whole field is painted a brilliant red by her own hands. The result of this massacre was piled into one. The no longer beating hearts of the now dead angels somehow created a disturbing scarlet fountain of blood. A river of blood ran along the dry patches of grass, singed by the fire formed by heavenly beings. How? _Chakra_. It is the start of the formation that will later result in the creation of earthly warriors. One who would feast their eyes on this field could see how ghastly the slaughter had been. No one is alive. All except for one.

_[ The sakura flower is pink. ]_

One _sakura_ tree swayed gently from side to side, making a magical, if not heavenly, dance of nature. Matching the colour of _her_ originally pink hair, none could see it as blood, grime and dirt caked it; a result of her bloodshed. Confiding only in the darkness of this world, she loses her mind as well as her purpose to live. Bitterly taking in the view of the whole field, her laughter turns to dry sobs until at last, the rain pours down on her. _If only the rain could wash away the sins made_. When she couldn't cry, the heavens cried for her.

And so, she is like the cherry blossoms yet so different at the same time. Her purity is now short-lived, but she is immortal. She is condemned to lurk in obscurity for centuries. Thus starts the story of one cherry blossom angel. _Fallen_.

**.**

**.**

Sakura.

That was her name.

Standing alone in her prison, she stood in the middle of the moonlight. A single, high vertical window was more than enough to provide her with light. She giggled insanely. The fallen angel fingers the chains that bound her and wonders if Heaven's residents are really that fearful of her. The chains will not be enough to break nor restrain her, she mused. Her ragged white dress contrasted greatly with the darkness of the cell as she eyed the fluttering fallen petals of the _sakura_ tree.

How ironic, she thought, laughing louder. The cherry blossoms were granted freedom whereas _she_ has to abide by the rules of the "holy" society. She wished for no more than just a sliver of freedom where she does not need to act like a saint. Somehow, that night, she has achieved so. Killing Heaven's own warriors had never felt so satisfying. The fallen angel did not revulse at the thought of being penalized for her sinful acts.

Sakura chuckled wryly as one of Heaven's soldiers cautiously opened the doors to her cell. Her bloody wings were limp at her sides, occasionally pulsating visibly whenever she felt agitated. The chains bounding her hands and legs rattled noisily and Sakura resisted the urge to just snap the soldier's neck. In reality, the girl _could_ break the chains bounding her. Heaven's poorly developed use of _chakra_ has nothing against her. But she left it intact. _For the moment_.

Sakura wanted to let the old geezers of the council experience that small sense of satisfaction of capturing her for one moment, and she would then destroy it the next.

"Up!" One soldier ruthlessly pulled the chain from the collar on her bruised neck. Sakura let out an inhuman growl. She did not like being treated as an _animal_. The comrade of that soldier spat at the ground beside her. "You sinful angel! It is no wonder the council will banish you from Heaven. The spawns of the Devil and Darkness are not welcomed here."

Sakura let her lips form a feral grin. "I have no qualms or objections on being banished. I do not want to be a martyr of Heaven. There is acts of hypocrisy amongst the residents of this so-called holy place. I have welcomed darkness and evil with open hands. Never there was a moment where I regret doing so. The council cannot do anything against me unless they improve this sore excuse of _chakra_!"

She jerked the chains harshly and they cracked pitifully. Other soldiers clambered up to where she was and supplied more _weak_ _chakra_ chains. The first soldier stared disdainfully at her and dragged her to the holy courtyard where the sinful would be judged. The majestic white doors opened as the soldiers escorting Sakura marched into the middle of the room.

Releasing the _chakra _chains and forcing Sakura to her knees, the council members, old and already passing their time of youth, yet still immortal, stood up and the eldest glided towards Sakura. His wings were crippled not from age but from war. The council member jerked Sakura's head up by using his staff to pull up her chin.

Sakura masked her emotions and stared at the old geezer with blank eyes. Her orbs had taken a pale green colour and she inwardly smirked when the old man flinched slightly. He clenched his jaw and said with an air of superiority and as loud as his vocal chords would allow, "Sakura. Archangel and part of God's first and trusted army squad."

He released his staff and gripped it with great force that his knuckles turned a ghastly white. He moved back, golden robes, a sign that signifies his importance in Heaven, swished. "You have been brought here to be judged. Do you know why?" Now, just because Sakura was an angel, doesn't mean that she does not know sarcasm. "Yes, _old man_," she spat, eyeing the council members with hatred and finally landing on the one who would judge her; the eldest of them all.

"I have killed the entire Squad One of Heaven's army," she said calmly, if not proudly. "I have done so to let Heaven know that I am no longer with this side. Heaven has never favoured me. So I _did_ join Hell, and the evil and darkness It offered me was satisfying. Never have I experienced such thing here. So punish me as you see fit. You can't make me plead for charity, _kusotare_."

The eldest's eyes widened and he bared his teeth, striking his hand across the girl's face. His fury could not be expressed in any other way except for making the girl experience the physical pain. Sakura kept her head low, and blood trickled down her chin. She grinned widely, the ends of her lips stretching as far as they could go. Her canines elongated to a sharp point and she eyed the elder menacingly. "Hurry it up," she gritted out, her voice going raspy. "Don't you want to get rid of me? Please, do so."_  
_

The elder clutched his staff hard; the wood was already breaking from the sheer force of his displeasure and irritation. He turned away from the fallen cherry blossom while making a dramatic act of turning hard to make the robes twist. "Take her to the Doors. Her crime is now combined with the act of disrespecting the council members that God Himself chosen for Heaven. She will be destroyed and her existence shall be no more." The other elders made a noise of agreement.

"She will be sent to eternal damnation."

The soldiers reassambled and yanked Sakura towards the Doors. It was made solely out of the bones and wings of the angels that were destroyed when they were also required to walk into the Doors. They serve to teach the other Heavenly residents. Now, she would be the one walking through it, and her bones as well as her wings would be added to the Doors for remembrance and forever the parts of her that will remind people of her sinful acts.

As Sakura reached the Doors, she chuckled softly. "You know," she started softly, grabbing the attention of the council members that were on their way out of the courtyard. She took a step forward, knowing that the next step she will take would be the start of her everlasting punishment.

"There _was_ a time when I loved Heaven. It is such a shame that that time has already gone by."

And she walked into the Doāzu no Shimanagashi.

* * *

Kusotare: It means b*stard in Japanese. Kusotare is the most offensive form of saying b*stard. It goes from yarou, hiretsukan, and lastly kusotare.

Doāzu no Shimanagashi: The literal translation of Doors of Banishment. This is the door to where angels would walk into when they are exiled from Heaven. What happens to them beyond the Door depends on the punishment given. For instance, if they commit murder on one of their own kind, their wings would deform and the fallen angel will reincarnate into a resident of the human world and be trapped on Earth for a time of five centuries to let them repent in their time down there. Heavier crimes than murdering only _one_ will result in the fallen angel passing through the doors being destroyed forever, in body and soul, or be sent to Hell to receive eternal suffering and torture.

Please don't use these ideas since I made them myself. No matter how cliché.

And so, TA-DAAHH. Prologue is done.´O 3 O ) I give you all... *drumroll* chocolates! For reading this chappie.

*turns into potato* *rolls off into the sunset*

I'm stressed. = 益 =


	2. Above All

**Disclaimer:** Ain't gonna ever own The Lesser Key of Solomon and its Ars Goetia dæmons.

Yesh. The first chapter of **The Demon Mistress**.

I hope this'll turn out either horrific or interesting.

* * *

Warning: (Slight) Gore?

[ CHAPTER ONE ]

**Above All**

**.**

**.**

The owls, animals of the night, engaged in a choir of cacophonic hoots. The academy swings squeaked roughly, protesting about the heavy load it carried. A boy of no more than twelve years swung back and forth with vigorous body movements as he hummed randomly in accordance to his high spirits of being promoted as an official genin of his village, the proud Konohagakure.

The metal insignia of the Leaf symbol glinted dangerously under the moonlight. His mop of blonde hair created the impression of pure gold as the yellow street lights shone upon him. Three scars decorated his cheeks, making him look like a fox more than anything. That was true, though. This boy was the jinchūriki of the infamous nine-tailed fox, the Kyuubi.

The boy had spent his early childhood days being discriminated and isolated from his age group. He could not understand the reason parents would whisper (loudly, at that) about how he was a _demon_ and that he did not deserve to live in Konoha. The only comfort he could find was in the Sandaimine Hokage and his academy teacher Iruka. His daily life before the graduation day of being a genin came consisted of boring rituals.

The boy would wake up, go to the academy while woefully listening to hurtful rumours yet still maintaining his cheerful attitude, trying to impress a certain brunette, rousing several competitions with his "rival" Sasuke, telling the current Hokage about his day at the academy, and then going to dinner with Iruka-sensei. It was his ritual.

The boy's name was Uzumaki Naruto.

Until today, which was the day Naruto had failed to graduate from the academy, Naruto had been inattentive to the real reason to why he was pushed away from society. Being mislead by Mizuki-sensei had not been a smart act from Naruto's side, but along the way, Naruto learnt of the demon he held inside himself. Surprisingly, Naruto accepted the fact and had not been _that_ frazzled by it.

Using his newly acquired skill of the _kage bunshin no jutsu _on Mizuki for he had injured Iruka, Naruto had indirectly stopped a possible theft of the precious scroll containing the secret jutsus of Konoha. His swinging stop abruptly when a figure approached the academy's park. The only person who would be around at this time of night would be his long-time teacher, Umino Iruka. He was an interesting character, so to say.

His parents were killed during the time when the Kyuubi rampaged throughout the whole Konoha, and he also knew that Naruto had the Kyuubi inside him, Iruka had no ill feelings towards Naruto. Tonight, he accepted the fact that _Naruto_ was not evil; the creature called Kyuubi inside him was. He couldn't really accuse a mere child for the nine-tailed's faults.

"Yeah! I finally became a genin of Konoha, 'ttebayo!" Naruto grinned cheekily at his teacher and guardian Iruka, who dozed off for a moment before snapping back into reality. Nodding tiredly, Iruka reached out a gloved hand and ruffled Naruto's golden-blonde hair affectionately. "Yes, that's great Naruto," Iruka provided, hopefully thinking that his tone would go through the boy's right ear, pass his brain and be understood, then _stay_ in his brain.

Unfortunately, the gods were not on his side today, deciding to bless Naruto with vast lungs, therefore resulting in a long speech consisting of repetitions on how Naruto had saved Iruka from Mizuki's shuriken _bla bla blah._ It was the same old, same old.

"_Naruto_," Iruka pinched the bridge of his nose as he slumped forward, trying to get through the message of 'stop talking' further, yet _still_ failing. Naruto blinked questioningly at him before – Iruka swore – a light bulb went off on top of Naruto's head. Proceeding to do a "good guy" pose that looked disturbingly similar to that of Gai's, which Iruka hoped Naruto would not grow up to be a replica of Gai for one replica (Lee) is enough, Naruto turned exuberantly at Iruka and jumped up and down, and then falling to his knees to plead dramatically. "Iruka-sensei! Treat me at Ichiraku's, _please!_"

Iruka was going to tell him to go home when he saw snot and tears being produced by Naruto at an alarming rate, he conceded and pried the boy off him. Naruto sucked all of his snot into his nose, oblivious to Iruka's disgusted and disbelieving stare, and literally skipped towards the only ramen stand in Konoha. The chuunin teacher twitched when solidified sparkles from Naruto's happy mood bounced off him.

Nevertheless, he smiled fondly when Naruto looked back and grinned widely, waving at him wildly to hurry it up. _He'll grow up into a great man,_ Iruka smiled, rubbing his nose from the cold weather that night. _I wonder if he'll turn up like his father? _Iruka walked slowly, enjoying the annoyed expression Naruto gave him, and pondered deeply about said boy's future.

_No. Naruto will _always _be Naruto_. He nearly tripped over Naruto's form, who was at the present rolling on the ground like a fish out of water, presumably bored from waiting for Iruka. A vein throbbed but Iruka laughed along with Naruto anyways.

_I stand corrected._

**.**

**.**

A hiss erupted quite nicely from behind the quivering lower demon. He shook; it had not been his plan to present the Lucifer's very own favourite demon with today's sacrifices from the local villagers on Earth. If anything, he was terrified and already shaking like a leaf in the wind. Over his shoulder was a sack of fresh human hearts, the high demon's favourite meal.

Of course, she'd prefer the live, beating ones freshly ripped out of human's chests, but she couldn't go hunting out all the time. If she did, massacres would happen everywhere, the legends referring to Lucifer and his minions would be taken very seriously, and the existence of Heaven and Hell at stake. So she didn't.

Ever since Lucifer brought back his own handpicked fallen angel to become his personal favourite two millennia ago, she had proven herself worthy, beautiful, reckless, fearless, sadistic, and above all: _powerful_. In every one of his speeches to his minions, Lucifer would say that the fallen angel turned high demon had been the most powerful warrior he had sculpted himself, and now Heaven would be regretting every single reason they thought they had to banish her from Heaven.

Squeaking pitifully when her shadow hellhounds growled at him, the lower demon picked up his pace, his sharp nails tightening considerably on the sack. Walking down the road built of the dead and tortured humans, the bones would knock against each other when he walked on them, scaring him further. Arriving at her castle gates, he knocked on the well built titanium doors decorated with skulls staring ominously back at him with shaking fingers.

The doors opened when two gargoyles standing guard outside pushed them, revealing a dark room barely lit with scented candles. Yet they were no match for the scent of death lingering in the air. The lower demon gulped audibly, knowing that the halls had been the place to where humans, demons and angels alike were tortured ruthlessly by the 'Queen of Hell', or so she was dubbed as.

His eyes shifted, warily watching the Queen's demons, until he zeroed in the figure lounging on the throne sculpted out of bones and bloodstones. A pale finger reached out from the shadows, fingering the bones affectionately, leaving a trail of fresh blood. Giggling, the female high demon waved the lower demon towards her and got up from her throne. Her piercing emerald eyes curved upwards, licking her lips like one child would when the time for gifts has come.

The lower demon walked carefully into the detailed design of a wizard circle. Unknowingly standing in the middle of a disguised trap of the female demon, her verdant orbs turning darker than black as she raised a lacey sleeve into a sweeping motion. "Come hitherto," her voice throaty yet sensuous, "Glasya-Labolas, President of Hell commanding thirty-six legions of demons under him."

The wind in her throne room shifted, sensing the disturbance of the summon that was about to appear. The higher demon's black wings fluttered and spread, thumping against the obelisk-shaped torches. Figures and motifs of languages long forgotten by mankind carved themselves on her forearms, painting the pearl skin with ink. The candles' flames flickered, turning the chamber eerily glowing, making it all the more horrendous for the discombobulated demon, as he exhibited the raw _fear_ he felt, dropping the sack of hearts with a large 'thump' in the now quiet room.

His forehead produced a new sheen of sweat and the hairs on his neck stood up. The low growl reverberated through the entire room; he did not know whether it came from the mistress or her demon, wherefore he willed his legs to move, _move_, before he falls prey to the grim figure standing beautifully yet intimidatingly with only her shining black orbs visible from the shadows._ But it was too late_.

His spiky back met an invisible barrier encompassing the whole wizard circle. She tutted, her tone as if scolding a child. "I do not let my prey get away once I have it in my grasp."

An inhuman shriek emerged from a newly formed abyss atop the wizard circle. The shriek itself sent the lower demon's senses to go into overdrive. A figure – no – _beast_ formed, its body forming into a dog, and the familiar pair of griffin wings flapping, nearly blasting the lower demon away. _No_, he thought weakly. To his kind, this was Caacrinolaas, the 25th of 72 demons under the power and command of the Queen. Glasya-Labolas was known as the President of Hell and captain of bloodshed.

_Why would the Queen…?_ His lost his voice to even speak, against this President and against his mistress. The lower demon quivered in fear once again as realization set in. It was no wonder the hard-working lower demons of Hell was of a large quantity. Every single day, he had not realized that the reason the others didn't come back was because of the Queen.

His tears started to pour out, scalding his face like burns. It was a curse to demons. They could never cry or damaged would be inflicted uponthemselves. He knees collasped and he begged for mercy. The Queen merely put up a hand and laughed mockingly at him.

She felt that her bloodlust could never be sated. And for that reason, she had Lucifer command the lower demons to bring her hearts of sacrificed humans to her every single day, and a mid demon to deliver it once in a while. Smiling bitterly for a second, she remembered why she was banished in the first place. This sateless bloodlust of hers for mundanes and holy beings.

With a flick of her hand, Glasya-Labolas pounced on the lower demon and ruthlessly teared his head before giving him a chance to cry out. The blood pattered down on the wizard circle, further enhancing Glasya-Labolas's power and his hunger. The Queen watched this amusedly as if it was her daily entertainment.

Her demon threw the headless body on the ground and started tearing it from limb to limb. Veins and arteries stuck together like gossamery threads and snapped when the President ripped it. Saving the heart for his mistress, he dragged the last piece of limb up the steps of her throne, leaving a trail of black blood. The Queen licked her blood-red lips and picked up the beating heart swiftly.

She brought it upon her lips and crunched it, black blood streaming down her chin. Bringing a hand to clean off the blood, she waved Glasya-Labolas back into his realm.

"Sakura." A single word came out of his mouth. The Queen looked up as Lucifer himself and Jashin neared her throne. Smiling pleasantly, she stood up. She freed her luscious pink hair of its tight knot and bowed down gracefully. "Ah, to what do I owe this dubious pleasure?" Jashin chuckled deeply, his equilateral circumscribed triangle chain swinging left right.

"Now, Sakura-hime, it would be _very_ impolite to bother you during your – ah – _meal time_." The Queen, Sakura, walked to Lucifer and hugged him, hands fisting into his long white hair. "Lucifer-sama, do I need to be of service once more?" He kissed the crown of her head, eyes turning red. "I need you to take care of my pets and creations, the Tailed Beasts."

"The bijū, Lucifer-sama?" She asked, pleased at the surprise. "Yes," Lucifer responded succinctly, turning on his heel and gliding out with his black robes trailing behind him. The throne doors slammed closed, and Jashin turned his gaze upon the woman. A feral snarl rumbled through his throat, claws elongating and sharpening as he held them above Sakura's pulsating jugular vein.

"_Don't mess with me. How could you be trusted with Lucifer-sama's very own pets?_" Wearily raising her hand, she made a sweeping motion and Jashin flew back 7 feet from herself. Coughing blood, he derided her and opened his black onyx wings to soar out of the throne room. Sakura chuckled and sauntered to her room, her shadow hellhounds tailing after her.

Roses withered; the hellhounds' aura emanated sharply. Sakura growled, and like the twisted one she had become, she drilled her hand into one of the hellhound's chest, feeling the heart fluctuating madly. She smiled evilly and crushed the heart in one move. Savoring the taste of another heart, she giggled playfully and departed the room.

**.**

**.**

A scream pierced the night sky. The Queen had taken another soul to do her bidding once again.

**.**

**.**

"Human souls are so pitiful," Sakura sang, twirling around her room while tossing a spherical case around as a plaything for her beloved _arashi_ demons. "Whether tragically or naturally, they die all the same." Squealing like a little girl, she grabbed the case in mid-air and brushed her palm against the trembling soul. Jumping onto the velvety sheets of her bed, Sakura hummed tonelessly and molded the soul into a human shape, imagining what her human demon would be like.

"I need to see the unmei no kagami." Sakura fingered the intricate carvings on her wall. Murmuring some words of black magic, the wall dissolved into particles, revealing a blank mirror underneath. It was a mirror, yet it did not reflect anything. Sakura bit her thumb and painted a small sigil, the smeared blood activating and then sinking into the mirror's surface.

_A shinobi_, she mused. _Looks like Heaven and Mother Nature found a way to put the _chakra_ to good use_. The shinobi was in action, expertly handling his sword like an aged swordsman would, but this one looked like he was merely 26 or so. Sakura became interested, seeing that he was observant in his enemy's skills and attacks. Clapping her hands together, her face turned to one of a childish expression.

"Yatta! Found the perfect _shinobi_ to mold my newly captured soul into." Sakura licked her lips in anticipation, looking at the battle boredly while molding the enough, the exact replica of the _shinobi_ in the mirror stood proudly in front of the Queen. Her grin turned evil as she reached into the mirror and replaced the fighting _shinobi_ with her human demon.

Bloody handwriting appeared on the mirror, providing the Queen with intel about the _shinobi_. "Zabuza Momochi, a missing-nin from Kirigakure, and known as the Demon of the Mist." The real Zabuza whirled around, panicking as he found himself in an unfamiliar place. When he saw a pink-haired woman, he wielded his sword, prepared to attack if she dared to strike his defense. The woman looked at him with mocking eyes. "I am sorry, dear, but you can't kill me."

Zabuza growled. He was not to be played with. "Where am I–" He gasped, trying to take in oxygen for his lungs but his throat gurgled, blood filling in. A _katana_ pierced his lungs and stomach, twisting themselves as he struggled against them. The pink-haired woman smiled cruelly, admiring the man's will to live. Her canines elongated sharply and said, her voice raspy, "_You are in Hell. There is no way to escape, once a _mundane_ sets foot here in Lucifer-sama's territory._" She then ruthelessly pulled out the _katanas_ and took his heart. "Ah, three hearts, all fresh, in one day. Hell must be on my side today."

She casually bit into Zabuza's heart, and threw the remains to the human demon she placed in the ninja world. "Now, my darling demon." Her eyes turned into onyx once more.

"Your first assignment: extract Lucifer-sama's beloved nine-tailed pet."

* * *

_Arashi_ demons: Literally meaning "tempest demons", they take on the form to what humans desire most, tempting them; hence the word 'tempt' in tempest. They also arouse anger in humans, and do so to the extent of making humans kill each other. In Hell, they are originally formless shadows.

Unmei no Kagami: Literally meaning "Mirror of Fate", they tell the owner everything they wish or demand to know, and may be able to predict the upcoming events.

"Hell is on my side today": Since Sakura is no longer part of Heaven, she does not believe in Heaven nor luck anymore, thus making her say 'Hell is on my side today' as people would say 'Heaven/luck is on my side today'.

Don't steal the ideas– I made them * 3 *

And if this fanfic is somehow confusing, I was trying to mold the Western and Japanese Hell and Heaven together, so don't be too confused if Lucifer speaks in Western context (Tailed Beasts) and Sakura and Jashin speaks in Japanese context (like Lucifer-sama and bijū). Most of the fanfic will also have most its elements in Japanese, like _doazū no shimanagashi, unmei no kagami, _etc.


	3. Weak

Ah. I suck at fighting scenes... so. I wrote it like switching between tabs: Naruto manga and this chapter.

* * *

_What defines a weak person? Is it the weak will, the weak perseverance, or the weak persistence? What separates one who is weak from one who is strong? As they say, the weak are cruel, and gentleness is to be expected of the strong. But when the weak realizes his actions, would that make him powerful? Is there to be a difference and a change to the rift between the weak and the strong?_

**.**

**.**

[ CHAPTER TWO ]

**Weak**

**.**

**.**

Uzumaki Naruto, a _genin_ fresh out of the academy, could no longer uphold his patience.

Days ago, when the divisions of the teams were announced, he was patient. When the team he was assigned to were the last bunch to be left behind in their genin classroom. Team 7's jōnin sensei was nowhere in sight, yet he was still patient. Naruto's attempts to impress the lone female of the team only proved to humour her and annoy the other male.

So when he was impatient, Naruto tended to do the most _stupid_ and ignorant things.

An example was when their jōnin sensei decided to show up last, Naruto was tired and derived of his usual ardor, so the only thing he was thinking of was setting up a simple prank. The prank proved to work and, much to the other genins' chagrin, lead to the budding 'hatred' of Hatake Kakashi.

But then his impatience was sated. During the introductions of his clandestine sensei, the bubbly but vain Akairo Yuri, the brooding and cold Uchiha Sasuke, and his own, Naruto was patient. He did not snap, and he did not interrupt anyone. After hearing that Team 7 would have another test tomorrow, Yuri beat Naruto to his inner thoughts.

"Why do we need to go through another test?"

Being a carefree sensei, Kakashi elucidated the point of the test and the system of graduating genins fresh from the academy. Not contemplating the horrified expressions the three genins adopted, Kakashi cheerfully announced that the test would be held the next day right in the morning.

The next day, Naruto was patient still. At their meeting point, the only one who bothered to even take place in early participation at the promised meeting place, was Sasuke. Coming at exactly five a.m. sharp, Naruto could not help but feel the slightest emotion of mercy for Sasuke as Yuri palaver nonsense to him. But as if _karma_ had heard everyone's whinings, _yes even Sasuke's_, she decided to bestow even greater agony to the team. Kakashi arrived hours later from the originally agreed time.

During the infamous bell test that no team had ever passed so far, Naruto hurriedly proclaimed one of his great speeches before launching an attack at the ignorant jōnin with one orange book in his clutch. Even though he failed and experienced a _ridiculous_ so-called justu literally sticking up his ass, Naruto's patience was still on a steady flow.

He had been patient when the other two of his team attempted to land an attack on Kakashi. One being foolish and lovestruck enough that it clouded her judgements and abilities to actually break the genjutsu, and the other succeeding to divert the jōnin's attention from his book and further impressing him. Sadly, the latter's knowledge of tactics and jutsus was no match for the jōnin and he lost too.

In the end, Naruto was _still_ patient. Got beaten up by one man holding a book, about porn, nonetheless? No problem. Being tied to a tree? No problem. Hungry and disheveled? No problem. So he maintained his good mood.

For now.

Gladly accepting the food offered to him, Kakashi appeared out of nowhere with a mood depicting the stormy skies, leering at the young genins with accusation. At that moment, Naruto actually sensed acceptance. Yuri defended him, though he had his suspicions and disappointments that she was just trying to echo Sasuke's proclamation of being a team.

Voicing his own opinions on teamwork, Kakashi promptly changed his mood in a blink of an eye, making the genins swear there was really a flowerbed that popped up right behind him. His visible eye curved upwards, indicating the joy and pride he is trying to point out to the team; Kakashi is simply proud this team is the first to ever pass his test, not to mention the genins are promising ones.

And so, Naruto, having been promoted to become a _real_ official genin, still sustained his patience.

But he couldn't help but just let a _tiny_ bit of his patience slip. Just a day after the Hokage introduced Team 7 to the works of being a genin, Naruto couldn't taste the raw adventure of being a shinobi. All he did for the past week was babysitting some civilian's baby, patching up civilian roofs, working in a civilian's cabbage field, shopping for a civilian, and other civilian things.

He had _enough_.

His patience was no more.

So one fine morning, when the Hokage called Team 7 to do yet _another _kind of civilian work, Naruto couldn't help his outburst. "Jii-chan! I don't want to do another lame D-rank mission. Entrust us a C or a B-rank one! The genin missions are too easy!" His next sentence was cut off by Yuri's hand and she hit him over his head, rebuking him to learn to show respect for the Hokage of their village.

Sarutobi, Konoha's third Hokage, smiled. Naruto's verve is very much contagious. Shuffling some papers and ignoring Iruka's protests, he found a C-rank mission for the hopeful genin team. Clearing his throat noisily, he said, "I will give you a C-rank mission. The aim is to cater to your client's protection. The client is going back to Nami no Kuni."

"Yes!" Naruto couldn't help but cheer out loud, practically jumping from the escorting mission they were assigned to. "Who's our client? A nobel? A princess? Who?"

Chuckling, Sarutobi looked at Iruka and said, "Iruka, would you be so kind to call their client in?" Nodding, Iruka walked out of the Hokage's office and moments later, a man in his late thirties came in. He was drunk; the occupants of the room noted he was teetering back and forth on his feet. His inebriated eyes gazed over to the three genins and smirked.

Raising a finger with difficulty, his words slurred. "'is kids will protec' meh? They dun look like ninjas. 'Pecially the short one with da idiotic 'ace." Naruto laughed, thinking that he was not the one, before Sasuke and Yuri gave him pitying looks and they lined up. Naruto was the shortest._  
_

"Hey! Take that back!" Naruto yelled, running towards Tazuna with hands curled into fists before Kakashi launched a hand and held him by his jumpsuit collar. Iruka gritted his teeth, and bowed down in apology to Tazuna. "I'm sorry for Naruto's behavior, Tazuna-san." The man merely waved a hand.

"Team." Kakashi looked up from his book and addressed his team curtly. "Meet at the gates fifteen minutes from now. Pack some light stuff." Disappearing in a poof of smoke, Team 7 dispersed and went to different directions of their house. Naruto jumped freely on the rooftops and as soon as he reached his dingy apartment, he threw open the door.

Grabbing a backpack, he threw instant ramen cup noodles hurriedly and stuffed some more of his orange jumpsuits. Running around the apartment hurriedly with volant movements, he loaded the backpack with more stuff before locking his apartment door and jamming the key into the deepest part of the backpack.

He jumped hurriedly to the gates with a random outburst of _chakra_, thus making him arrive there the earliest. Shocked because for once he was the first, Sasuke came by a minute after. His eyes widened as far as his Uchiha pride would let them go. "You're early, dobe." Naruto merely shrugged and fidgeted in his spot, wanting to go out of the boundaries of Konoha.

Yuri arrived with an overstuffed backpack and immediately clung to Sasuke's arm, screeching nonsensical things in his ear. For once, Naruto felt a pang of pity for Sasuke. Yuri's shrill squeaks were high enough to break an average human's eardrums. Scowling, Sasuke could do nothing but grunt.

Tazuna came by later on along with Kakashi. Kakashi walked in a slackened state with his nose buried in that orange book of his. Sighing as he saw the already assembled group, he stuffed the book into his hip pouch before calling out to them. "Team 7, we will escort Tazuna-san in a diamond formation to protect him."

Stopping for a moment, Kakashi eyed Tazuna distastefully and continued. "Since Tazuna-san here is a civilian, we will need to travel on feet to get to Nami no Kuni." Tazuna scowled deeply at Kakashi but did not make any vocal protests. Kakashi looked around for Naruto since he was not with their group anymore. Turning around, he saw Naruto already outside of Konoha and flailing his arms around madly, shouting 'hurry up!'.

Kakashi shook his head, tracing the carved insignia of Konoha on his hitai-ate and dropped his arm, appearing right next to Naruto. Choosing to ignore Naruto's yelp of surprise, he called out, "Okay team. The mission officially starts now."

They got into formation. Tazuna was clutching his oversized backpack straps and fingering his small spectacles in the middle of the diamond formation. Sasuke's place was at the top point of the diamond while Yuri and Naruto were at Tazuna's sides. Kakashi strolled along behind the client, whipping out his beloved book and reading intently.

As soon as they went deeper into the collection of trees, the group passed by a puddle of water. Kakashi looked at puddle with sharp eyes before stuffing his book again. It would have to wait. Nonchalantly stepping hard on the puddle of water as the genins and the client passed without any suspicions, Kakashi could hear the gasps and a scream as two shinobi appeared. They had on each a metal gauntlet, which shot out a long chain and effectively securing Kakashi's whole body.

The genins could do nothing as they watched their sensei being shackled with chains by two – from what it seems – rogue ninjas. The rogue ninjas shared a smirk before pulling the chains away from each other, ruthlessly tearing the jōnin's body into different segments. Yuri couldn't help it. She let out a high-pitched scream as tears cornered at the edge of her eyes.

The shinobi world was indeed ruthless; Yuri had always thought it wouldn't be a problem since 'her Sasuke' would always be there to save her. Seeing her own sensei being mercilessly killed was an eye-opener for her. Yuri couldn't control the sick feeling in her stomach as bile rose up her throat. She managed to swallow it down but she was breathing heavily and if anybody didn't know any better, she was indeed hyperventilating.

"Ka– KAKASHI-SENSEI!" Naruto yelled, his eyes wide from seeing his own sensei die in front him. Not to mention in the most inexorable way possible.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes and 'tch'ed. His whole team as well as the client were shocked to the core. If the jōnin of the mission was easily beaten, then they, who are merely starter genins would of course have no chance against the rogue ninjas. Determining their rank to be about high-chūnin to low-jōnin, he ran to to shield Tazuna from possible assaults.

The two rogue ninja appeared with their ominous aura behind Naruto, cruelly saying in his ears, "Two down." Naruto started sweating; his heart couldn't stop beating rapidly, and for the first time, he felt the _fear_ rupturing from his already panic-stricken mind.

Their chains started revolving around Naruto and entrapped him. Sasuke took action and leapt towards the rogues, swiftly yanking out a kunai and shuriken before throwing the latter towards the middle of the chains and pinning it to a tree trunk. Not wanting to waste any time or chance, Sasuke thrusted the kunai into the shuriken to secure the two ninjas' chains.

Shocked, the two could do nothing as Sasuke leapt unto their metallic gauntlet arms. Sasuke took hold of the gauntlets and kick both of the ninjas' head. This caused their chains to snap from the gauntlet and Sasuke gracefully landed on the ground, but he did not realize that the rogues launched themselves to Naruto and Yuri, who was with the client.

As one of the rogue ninja sped towards Yuri with a gauntlet poised and ready to kill, Sasuke jumped in front of Yuri. All of a sudden Kakashi reappeared and knocked the one pursuing Naruto out and holding the other. Everybody let out a sigh of relief. _Sensei used Kawarimi..._ Naruto thought, momentarily frozen on the ground.

Kakashi looked at Naruto and said, "Naruto, sorry I didn't help you right away. I thought you'd be able to move, but instead you got injured." Holding the limp rogue ninjas with both hands, he turned to Sasuke and Yuri. "Good job on the fight, Sasuke. You too, Yuri. Protecting the client was a smart move."

Naruto stood up slowly, dusting his clothes. _Sasuke... He wasn't even afraid to fight against the ninjas. Was it really the first time he fought? He even saved me._ Sasuke noticed Naruto looking at him, and he smirked. "You okay, dobe? You're scared stiff." Naruto gritted his teeth, but he had to agree with Sasuke. He couldn't do anything but stay frozen in his spot when the ninja launched at him.

Wanting to say something, Kakashi stopped him. "Naruto, save it for later. One of the ninjas managed to scratch your hand, and that's not good. Poison is now spreading slowly from your hand. Don't move too much, or it will definitely spread faster. We will need to open the wound and release the poisoned blood from your body." Kakashi bounded the rogue ninjas to a tree with strong rope, and his eye scrutinized Tazuna's tense form.

"Tazuna-san. Mind telling me why these chūnin-rank ninjas are after you?" Tazuna had no reply. Kakashi continued, "These ninjas are from Kirigakure." One of the rogue ninja stared into Kakashi's eyes menacingly. "How did you read our advances?" With his lone eye glinting, Kakashi replied casually, "It had been sunny for days. There was no reason for a puddle to be there. And your technique is not yet perfect. There was no ripples when I kicked some dust and pebbles into the puddle."

Ignoring the ninja's heavy chuckle, Kakashi turned to Tazuna and asked, "Our mission was to only escort and protect you from possible thieves. This is already turning into a B-rank mission." Tazuna sweated. "We are now operating outside of our actual duties that you paid us for." Yuri spoke up from behind them, exclaiming, "We aren't ready for this mission, sensei! Let's quit. We need to go back and treat Naruto's hand. Let's go back."

Seeming as if he was contemplating, Kakashi looked at Naruto's hand and sighed. "I guess this might be too much for a genin... I guess we should go back."

Naruto pulled out a kunai and pierced his hand, appalling everyone. _I should become stronger... After all, I had practiced for this mission and many jutsus by myself... I won't lose to Sasuke! I swear it on this pain in my left hand._ Speaking out, he said, "With this kunai, I swear I'll protect the old man, dattebayo! We're continuing the mission!"

Kakashi neared him, and said sternly, "Naruto, it's good you're releasing the poison, but any more and ... You'll die!" Kakashi added the last part with a touch of sickly sweetness. The addressed person gulped audibly before sweating bullets. Yuri shouted out at Naruto. "Seriously, Naruto! Are you a masochist?" Sighing, Kakashi picked up his left hand and examined it. _The wound_, Kakashi thought, momentarily baffled that the cut was already closing. _It's healing itself..._

Naruto rubbed his free hand at the back of his head. "So, Kakashi-sensei, will I...?" Kakashi brought out a roll of bandages and began wrapping Naruto's left hand.

"No, you'll be fine."

**.**

**.**

The small boat swished gently from side to side, bobbing on the small waves. Thick mist concealed the boat, hiding it from the eyes of the outside world.

Naruto exclaimed loudly, "Woah! The mist is so thick! I can barely see anything." The man rowing the boat slowly scowled, and reprimanded him. "Ssshhh! They might hear us! Don't you know how much risk we're taking right now!" Naruto covered his mouth with both hands and bowed down apolegetically. He didn't want to cause anyone anymore trouble.

"They?" Kakashi asked curtly. Tazuna turned to the ninjas to explain what was happening with Kirigakure. "Gatou is a man known for the Gatou company, yes? He's one of the people who are actually quite wealthy, but what people do not know is that he is involved with dirty tradings. He hires ninjas to do the dirty work for him. Gatou's one nasty man. And now he's taken over the trade routes of Nami no Kuni, and since we do not have ninjas here, we can't protect ourselves from Gatou."

He took a deep breath before continuing. "I am the one in charge of the bridge, so I am the only thing standing between opression and freedom. If I can get this bridge done, Gatou won't have any chance against us and we can be a prosperous village once more. Our country is also very poor, so we could not afford a B-rank mission. I hope you understand."_  
_

Yuri and Sasuke nodded, understanding the importance of this old man in front of them. He might be impolite, but he is contributing greatly to his own people. Naruto just blinked, not understanding at all. The small boat came to a stop. The man glanced at Tazuna and said, "Tazuna-san, I have directed us to a vegetation tunnel so it's safer, and we have arrived in the port."

"Thank you, good man. You really have risked yourself in delivering us here," Tazuna replied sincerely. The man bowed, letting the passangers off to the port before rowing back into the mist. Kakashi sighed tiredly. _It was two chūnin level ninjas a while ago. No doubt the next one attacking us will be jōnin level_.

Naruto glanced at Sasuke from the corner of his eyes and let his lips form a determinded grin. _I'm not going to let Sasuke steal the spotlight again_. Looking around, he held a shuriken and threw it fast into the bushes, making everyone who was walking calmly jump. Running a hand through his blonde hair, Naruto smirked proudly. "Just a rat."

Yuri yelled at him loudly. "Stop trying to act cool and awesome like Sasuke-kun! There was obviously nothing there!" Kakashi waved both hands in front of him and said weakly, "Hey hey, stop using the shurikens. It's really dangerous." Naruto's eyes glinted once more as Kakashi heared a rustle, Naruto threw his shuriken into another clump of bushes.

This time, Kakashi walked the bushes and felt a pang of sympathy to the white rabbit nearly killed by Naruto's shuriken. Narrowing his eye at the rabbit, Kakashi couldn't help but find it suspicious. _It's a snow rabbit... Weird. It's spring, but it's white? Normally, snow rabbits will change their fur colour according to the amount of sunlight recieved. This is a rabbit kept in a cage for some time now. The ninjas must have been keeping this for a body switching purpose._

Kakashi heard the faint sound of someone jumping and immediately called out to the others behind him. "Everybody get down!" A spinning sword flew past the crouching bodies and embedded itself into a tree. A shinobi of with a body build almost as big as Kakashi's stood on the hilt, his body not facing them but eyeing them, especially Naruto.

Kakashi shoved his hands into the pockets of his pants and looked up at the missing-nin above. "Well, if it isn't Momochi Zabuza, missing-nin of Kirigakure." Naruto's minds had already been planning ways to make sure Sasuke doesn't steal the spotlight this time, but Kakashi held out a hand to stop him from attacking Zabuza. "Everybody get back and protect the client. This nin is on a whole other level..."

Clutching the edge of his hitai-ate covering the other eye, Kakashi stared still at Zabuza, waiting for an offensive action. Zabuza stilled for a moment, before speaking out clearly to them even when masked. "You appear to be Sharingan Kakashi. Sorry, but the old man and the fox-boy is mine." Kakashi clenched his jaw and informed his team without even turning to look at them. "Team, the teamwork here now is to protect Tazuna-san."

Kakashi pulled up the hitai-ate, revealing three black spinning tomoes of the red sharingan. Naruto wondered in awe to what the eye was, while Yuri didn't get to see it, and Sasuke was inwardly shocked.

"W-What the heck is sharingan?" Naruto yelled indignantly, tired of not knowing about things. _It is said that the sharingan has it in them to defeat all types of genjutsu, taijutsu, and ninjutsu. It is a kekkei genkai that provides power to the user._ "That's not the only abilities capable of achieving with the sharingan..." Zabuza spoke up from his position above them. "Yes, that sharingan also allows you to copy your opponent's techniques just by seeing them once."

He looked at Kakashi. "I was part of Kiri's assassin team, and in my bingo book," he pointed lazily at Kakashi, "he is known as the man who had copied over a thousand jutsu. The 'Copy Ninja' Kakashi." The genin simultaneously looked at Kakashi with admiring looks, while Sasuke narrowed his eyes. _Wasn't the sharingan exclusive to the Uchiha clan only? How did Kakashi have one? Was he a distant relative in the Uchiha family?_

"Enough with the talking," Zabuza claimed. "I have to kill that old man." Tazuna flinched, and the three genin immediately got into position. "It looks like I have to go through you first, Kakashi." He jumped from the tree, propelling himself into a nearby body of water. Kakashi swiveled his head around. Zabuza was standing atop the water, mist surrounding him. The winds howled, and Zabuza said roughly, "_Ninpou... Kirigakure no Jutsu_."

A single leaf dropped down gracefully on the water, causing soft ripples to break out. "He's gone!" The people behind Kakashi exclaimed. "Watch out. Momochi Zabuza is known in his silent-killing art. You won't even know he's there until you're dead." The mist got thicker, inducing panicked fear to the genins.

"8 choices." A voice called out in an intense way.

"Liver, lungs, spine, clevical vein, neck vein, brain, kidneys, heart. Which one should I go after?" A sheet of heavy silence covered the genins, their sensei and the client as their senses became overly wary of their surroundings. Kakashi quickly positioned his hands into a single hand seal and held it in front of his face.

Sasuke shook. The tension he could not fight against, feeling his skin prickle as a sense of foreboding dawned upon him. The heavy killing intent held him in place. Sasuke started sweating. As much as he would like to admit it, this feeling he has never felt before. The feeling of fear, for now he is a prey to the missing-nin circling around them like a predator.

Kakashi looked at Sasuke knowingly and gave him an eye smile. "Don't worry Sasuke. I'll protect you. _I don't let my comrades die._" Sasuke blushed, not used to being seen in his weakest moment by other people.

Zabuza suddenly appeared in the middle of the genin's circle and in front of Tazuna. Swinging his sword in the direction of Tazuna's head, Kakashi reacted immediately and blocked it, causing the genins to jump away. Kakashi pierced a kunai into Zabuza's chest, but water dripped down. "Sensei!" Naruto shouted, pointing to the Zabuza coming towards Kakashi. "Behind you!"

Zabuza's water clone dispersed as Zabuza swung his sword into Kakashi's torso. His satisfaction was short-lived as he noticed that Kakashi had copied his _mizu bunshin no jutsu_. Kakashi appeared behind him with a kunai to his neck. "It's over," he said. "Over?" Zabuza asked. "You don't get it. You can't defeat me with your cheap monkey-like imitations."

"But that was impressive. Even in the mist, you managed to copy the jutsu. But I must say, _I'm not that easy to kill_." The real Zabuza said from behind Kakashi. The one with a kunai to his neck was another clone. It dispersed, shocking Kakashi. Zabuza swung his sword, and because Kakashi was taken off guard, he merely dropped on the ground, missing Zabuza's sword by a few seconds.

Zabuza twisted his body around, piercing his sword into the ground. He used his sword's hilt as a pivot as he kicked the jōnin trying to get up. Kakashi flew away a few feet from Zabuza and into the water. Preparing to run towards Kakashi, he stopped when his eyes focused on the _makibishi_ scattered on the ground. Zabuza disappeared once again. "Foolish."

_This water is heavy_... Kakashi thought, trying to get up from the body of water. Zabuza reappeared behind him and made the hand signs for a _suirō no jutsu_. The water rose up to make a spherical prison around Kakashi.

Holding up the prison with a hand seal, Zabuza made another water clone to attack the defenseless genins. "Ah, these kids wearing headbands and acting like ninja. You can't call yourselves ninjas unless you've encountered numerous brushes with death itself. Until you are enlisted in my book, I can't call you 'ninja'." Saying that, Zabuza's water clone disappeared from the view of the genins.

Zabuza punched Naruto away from the other two genins. Yuri cried out his name. Looking up at Zabuza with eyes full of fear, Naruto sweated. This _is a real jōnin. At this rate, we're gonna die without Kakashi-sensei!_ He looked at his bandaged hand. _I swore I'd never need to be saved again. And I won't lose to Sasuke!_ Naruto looked at his hitai-ate which was under Zabuza clone's foot._  
_

"Hey, you eyebrowless freak," Naruto started, making a vein in Zabuza's forehead throb. "Remember this. The man who will one day become a Hokage is me! Uzumaki Naruto!"

Naruto entered the battle, making solid _kage bunshins_ of himself and they all surrounded Zabuza's clone. The clone swung his sword, strongly making Naruto's shadow clones disappear. The original Naruto was left, and he pulled out a fūma shuriken and threw it to Sasuke. Sasuke realized Naruto's plan and hurled it at Zabuza, who grabbed it easily in the air.

Another shuriken appeared from the shadow of the first shuriken from Sasuke' _kage shuriken no jutsu_. Zabuza leapt over the second one to avoid being targeted. As the second one passed Zabuza, it turned into Naruto, who had transformed. He threw a kunai at Zabuza. Zabuza 'tch'ed as he was forced to release the water prison, otherwise he would be damaged.

Turning around, Zabuza prepared to pierce his sword into Naruto before the sword was held by Kakashi, which caused his arm to bleed. Kakashi activated his sharingan once more, and he and Zabuza made the same hand signs concurrently. _Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!_

The two water dragons clashes, making water blast in every direction. As the water cleared, the genins and Tazuna could see Kakashi holding back Zabuza's sword with another kunai. Zabuza leapt back from Kakashi and started to make one hand seal when he realized that Kakashi could copy them perfectly at the same time. Making another hand seal, Kakashi also copied it.

Kakashi managed to make the hand seals faster than Zabuza did and shouted out, "Suiton: Daibafuku no Jutsu!" A huge wave of water surged up from Kakashi's spot and rose up several meters. It went crashing down to Zabuza, pinning him to a tree with force. Kakashi threw three kunais and it stabbed Zabuza's arms and his right leg. "You... can see the future?" Zabuza asked, eyes already wide.

Kakashi pulled out another kunai and replied, "Yeah. And you're going to die." Before Kakashi could do anything, two senbons pierced Zabuza's neck, killing him quickly. A hunter-nin hopped down from the branch of a nearby tree. "True. He is now dead."

Kakashi teleported from the tree he was on to Zabuza. Pressing two fingers to his pulse point, Kakashi established the fact the Zabuza was indeed already dead. Looking at the hunter-nin, he said, "You're a hunter-nin from Kirigakure." Bowing slightly, the hunter-nin said, "Impressive. You are right. I have been looking for Momochi Zabuza of Kirigakure to kill him."

Naruto abruptly pointed at the hunter-nin and shouted, "Who the hell are you? How could you just kill Zabuza like that?" Kakashi put a hand to Naruto's head. "Naruto," he started, looking down at him with mismatched eyes. "In this world, there are people who are younger than you but stronger than me." Flushing, Naruto looked away and crossed his arms.

The hunter-nin disappeared from the tree and near Zabuza. "Thank you for fighting him. I must now dispose of his body. Farewell." And with a single handsign, the hunter-nin and the missing-nin was gone.

Tazuna laughed heartily with a tint of relief. "Okay then! Let's go relax in my house for a while." The other genins' body relaxed slightly, relief flooding in their veins. The missing-nin was now taken care of. Kakashi turned to join them, but his body collapsed.

_Ahh, I'm too tired. Used the sharingan too much._

**.**

**.**

Naruto could see dark, red, and malicious _chakra_ visibly enveloping his being.

Glancing at Sasuke's body pierced with many senbons, his fury heightened, and raising his hands, he could see his nails turning into claws. Feeling a power he'd never felt before, his wounds began to heal and he looked at Haku with slitted eyes.

Zabuza felt a disturbance in the air, and felt a powerful _chakra_. _It's too powerful to be Kakashi's..._ Kakashi's eyes widened. _This is the nine-tails' chakra!_ Kakashi immediately pulled out a summoning scroll and smeared his blood on the whole length of the scroll's paper.

Inside Haku's mirrors, Naruto charged at Haku. Attempting to drive Naruto away, Haku sent a barrage of needles at Naruto, only to be repelled by a defeaning, inhuman roar. Haku hurriedly made his way into another mirror, but got him first and managed to scratch his mask. Naruto let out another roar and the red _chakra_ surrounding him burnt down the ice mirrors.

Unable to push back Naruto's chakra, Haku couldn't do anything as Naruto grabbed his hand and pulled back a fist to punch Haku in the face. Haku flew away, and his mask shattering. _Zabuza-san_, Haku thought weakly, all hope already leaving him. _I cannot defeat this boy. Zabuza-san..._ Blood escaped from Haku's lips as his eyes glazed over, steeling himself from within when Naruto jumped at him, ready to punch Haku once more.

When Naruto noticed Haku as the boy who met him in the forests after the heavy training Kakashi gave his team, he stopped his punch and felt all the evil _chakra_ dissipating. "Why did you stop? I killed your precious friend; don't you want to kill me as revenge?" Haku asked blankly. Naruto yelled, resuming his punch at Haku's face. Haku hacked out blood.

"I have no reason to live. Zabuza has no need for a weak shinobi like me." Haku claimed, wiping the blood off his mouth with his sleeve. Locking his gaze straight with Naruto's eyes, he said with certainty, "Naruto. Kill me."

Kakashi made the proper hand seals with the scroll. Pressing it to the ground, he shouted, "_Kuchiyose: Doton: Tsuiga no Jutsu_!" The ground rumbled, and ninkens jumped out from the ground, trapping Zabuza and held him down with their fangs. "If eyes and ears don't work, then I'll just have to use my 'nose'." Kakashi looked at Zabuza triumphantly.

Clasping his hands together in a hand seal, Kakashi said, "The mist is clear. Your future is death." Kakashi concentrated all his chakra into his right hand. "_Raikiri_." White chakra collected in his hand and it crackled, zapping widely in different directions. Kakashi lunged at the restrained Zabuza, pulling back his _chakra_-filled hand and rushed towards him.

Haku absconded from his battle with Naruto and departed with the words, "Sorry, Naruto-kun. Looks like I can't die just yet."

As Kakashi neared Zabuza with his _raikiri _and prepared to pierce it into the missing-nin. Blood spattered on Kakashi's face and Zabuza's bandages. The ninkens restraining Zabuza disappeared as the summoning scroll was pierced with multiple senbons. Kakashi's hand went through Haku's protective stance in front of Zabuza instead of killing the missing-nin. Zabuza smirked under his bandages.

"My future is death? Wrong, Kakashi."

"Heh. Great job, Haku," Zabuza praised him from behind Haku's dead body. _This boy... is already dead!_ Kakashi thought, looking at Haku's lifeless eyes. Zabuza raised his sword, fully intent on cutting both Haku and Kakashi. Kakashi immediately leapt from Zabuza's reach and laid Zabuza down on the ground with care. Closing his eyelids, Kakashi raised a hand in Naruto's direction.

"Stop, Naruto." Naruto had been running towards Haku, wanting to avenge him for he had died and Zabuza did not care. "This is my fight," Kakashi said, staring at Zabuza. The mist had cleared, allowing Naruto to see Yuri with Tazuna. Yuri ran to Naruto with Tazuna. Before getting the chance to ask Naruto to where Sasuke was, a single ring of a bell echoed throughout the whole area._  
_

Zabuza buckled, clutching his head. His eyes became black as he clawed at the ground, making symbols Kakashi had never seen before. All attention was now on Zabuza. The bell was now ringing in the field; each ring becoming more fervent than the last. Zabuza stood up, letting his sword pierce into the symbolic circle he had made. His mistress would be coming soon.

The wizard circle glowed, letting a girl appear, black robes swishing at her feet. Her body was facing Zabuza. She turned, letting Kakashi and the others see her beautifully made face, porcelain-like with a hypnotizing shade of phtahlo green eyes. Her tousled cherry blossom pink hair reached her the floor, almost as long as her black lace dress. One would think she was not a warrior, but someone full of authority. Her blood red lips curved into a smirk, savoring the surprised faces in the battlefield.

Kakashi's eyes widened as Zabuza dropped down into a kneeling position. His head was not seen, but Kakashi could clearly see that Zabuza respected the girl. The girl waved her hand, making Zabuza stand up. Kakashi watched the girl warily. If she had that much power over Zabuza, then she was indeed a strong one. Her eyes zeroed in Naruto, and her smile turned into a dissatisfied scowl.

"Why is our beloved Kyuubi's jinchūriki still alive?" Her voice managed to send Kakashi into fantasies he never thought he'd imagine with a stranger, for it was so rich and dark, yet with a tint of melodious passion. Zabuza did not reply but merely strained in his spot. The girl altogether dropped her pleasant aura and caressed Zabuza's bandaged cheek.

"Weak."

The girl said simply in a minacious way. She lifted up her hand and bore her hand into Zabuza's chest. She ignored the faint thump of Zabuza falling down on his knees, hacking blood. She viciously pulled out her hand, along with a red, beating heart in her grasp, leaving a hole. She smiled insanely, letting the canines be seen by the onlookers.

The girl brought the Zabuza's heart to her lips, licking it slightly and then masticated the heart.

* * *

HAHAHAAHA! Expect no updates until next Sunday since I'm going to Korea for a while.

Hope this 6k+ chapter suffices.


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